Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panama City and Cabo Frio

For one person, living is cheaper in Cabo Frio: $678 a month against $1,855 in Panama City, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Panama City
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Panama City Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Cabo Frio
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Cabo Frio Living Index

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Panama City

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,855

/mo nomad

Cabo Frio

🇧🇷 Brazil

$678

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panama City and in Cabo Frio

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Panama City and in Cabo Frio actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,855 per month in Panama City vs $678 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

Panama City $1,855
Cabo Frio $678

A couple spends around $2,804 per month in Panama City vs $1,113 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

Panama City $2,804
Cabo Frio $1,113

A family of three spends $3,753 per month in Panama City vs $1,548 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

Panama City $3,753
Cabo Frio $1,548

Panama City costs about 174% more than Cabo Frio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Panama City sits 37% above the global median, while Cabo Frio is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 PAB 11.63

$5.87 R$29.77

98.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 PAB 47.92

$29.90 R$152

60.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 PAB 7.96

$6.86 R$34.79

16.03%

Cappuccino

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$1.74 R$8.81

142.53%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$1.38 R$6.98

45.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 PAB 1.56

$0.51 R$2.60

205.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 PAB 3.39

$1.22 R$6.19

177.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PAB 3.94

$1.95 R$9.87

102.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$0.77 R$3.90

140.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$1.50 R$7.61

70.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$0.76 R$3.87

357.89%

Eggs

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$1.62 R$8.20

66.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 PAB 12.57

$8.21 R$41.59

53.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 PAB 6.83

$3.41 R$17.30

100.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PAB 10.58

$9.61 R$48.74

10.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 PAB 4.18

$1.92 R$9.71

117.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.19 R$6.05

53.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 PAB 4.20

$0.96 R$4.89

337.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$1.22 R$6.19

230.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 PAB 3.48

$0.67 R$3.38

419.40%

Onion (1kg)

$4.22 PAB 4.22

$0.85 R$4.32

396.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$0.57 R$2.87

322.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$0.58 R$2.95

191.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 PAB 6.14

$1.63 R$8.24

276.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 PAB 11.30

$6.03 R$30.58

87.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 PAB 1.42

$0.99 R$5.00

43.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PAB 2.73

$1.37 R$6.95

99.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PAB 0.33

$1.37 R$6.97

-75.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 PAB 21.23

$82.1 R$416

-74.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 PAB 2.52

$1.28 R$6.51

96.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$0.80 R$4.07

132.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.78 PAB 21.78

$8.23 R$41.74

164.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 PAB 1.25

$1.23 R$6.22

1.63%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.2K PAB 21.2K

$21.1K R$106.7K

0.87%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

$31.0K R$157.2K

-32.19%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$130 PAB 130

$58.6 R$297

121.42%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$28.13 PAB 28.13

$7.84 R$39.76

258.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.21 PAB 48.21

$13.82 R$70.0

248.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.78 PAB 45.78

$21.66 R$110

111.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.92 PAB 34.92

Cinema Ticket

$8.67 PAB 8.67

$4.92 R$24.95

76.22%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$544 PAB 544

$148 R$748

268.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,697 PAB 9,697

$2,691 R$13.6K

260.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 PAB 66.8

$46.04 R$233

44.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 PAB 49.14

$40.39 R$205

21.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 PAB 93.9

$55.0 R$279

70.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 PAB 112

$48.67 R$247

129.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 PAB 1,257

$444 R$2,251

183.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 PAB 875

$119 R$604

634.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 PAB 2,155

$677 R$3,429

218.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$280 R$1,420

458.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 PAB 3,122

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 PAB 1,709

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$916 PAB 916

$278 R$1,411

228.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

10.67

-40.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Panama City: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cabo Frio: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Panama City

$875 47.2%

Cabo Frio

$119 17.6% 86.4% $756

Groceries & Markets

Panama City

$325 17.5%

Cabo Frio

$162 23.9% 50.1% $163

Eating Out

Panama City

$207 11.1%

Cabo Frio

$106 15.6% 48.7% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Panama City

$206 11.1%

Cabo Frio

$80 11.9% 61.1% $126

Clothing & Footwear

Panama City

$145 7.8%

Cabo Frio

$86 12.6% 40.8% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Panama City

$63 3.4%

Cabo Frio

$32 4.7% 50.1% $32

Getting Around

Panama City

$34 1.9%

Cabo Frio

$93 13.7% 170% $59

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,257 in Panama City versus $444 in Cabo Frio. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 229% higher in Panama City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Panama City versus $30.00 in Cabo Frio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $162 – making Cabo Frio the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Panama City

🇧🇷 Cabo Frio

🕒 Local time

05:03 5:03 AM

07:03 7:03 AM

2 h ahead of Panama City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,086,990 Capital

222,161

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Panama City Cabo Frio 5,400 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Panama City
Cabo Frio

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Panama City vs Cabo Frio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Panama City is pricier by about 174%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,783 per month in Panama City and $1,016 in Cabo Frio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabo Frio, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,855 in Panama City and $678 in Cabo Frio. That's a gap of about 174%.

Public transport costs about 287% less in Cabo Frio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cabo Frio, where all-in costs run around $678, than in Panama City at $1,855. In Cabo Frio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Panama City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cabo Frio – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cabo Frio. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Panama City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.